On the map of the village of Orange in the 1874 Caldwell Atlas, the Sugar Grove Farm to the west of town is owned by William Norris. A grove of trees is drawn in and labeled the “sugar grove.”
Amos and Mary Norris arrived in Orange township in 1814, and Amos helped plat the town of Orange. Their son, William, was born in 1820 and married Mary Schuh in 1845. The couple had at least five children who survived into adulthood. Milo was the youngest son, born in 1859. He never married, but he farmed the family homestead until his death.
The Norris Grove became a popular picnic spot, known to be cool and shady on the hottest of days. Although I have not been able to confirm its exact location, it was probably within that “sugar grove” south of Nankin in the general vicinity of the First Apostolic Church.
In 1911, Milo Norris built a dance pavilion in the Norris Grove. The well-known picnic spot occupied an ideal location, easily accessible after the interurban line went through, with the Nankin station nearby.
Dancing and picnicking at Milo Norris’s pavilion
Milo Norris’s dance pavilion was 50 feet square and built of hard wood, perfect for dancing. Refreshments could be served beneath the dance floor. Herbert Kline served as the manager of the pavilion.
July 4, 1911 was the opening day. Tierney Moore and Henry George provided music, and everyone was invited to pack a picnic basket and enjoy the holiday in a cool, shady grove. They could enjoy the music even if they didn’t dance.
That Fourth was a scorcher, and the trolley line did a booming business as everyone fled the heat. Cars ran every two hours and a large crowd gathered. After the opening success, the pavilion opened three nights a week throughout the season.
In 1918, the one-room schools of District One, including the township schools of Orange, Clear Creek, Montgomery, Jackson, Milton and Perry, held an end of the year picnic at the Norris Grove.
Thousands attend, but Gov. Cox was a no-show
Four thousand had been in attendance the previous year, and organizers expected 10,000 or more this year. Whether they reached that or not, attendees had a good time.
More: Ashland Memories: A Village called Orange on the road to Nankin
They came in cars, buggies, wagons, and by streetcar. The weather in the shady grove was perfect, and they filled the tables and the pavilion for lunch.
Governor Cox of Ohio promised to come as the guest of honor and speaker − if his duties allowed. Unfortunately, he was a no-show, but Dr. Furry, president of Ashland College, filled in with a “splendid” address.
A banner went to the school that won the most athletic events in the morning. After a four-way tie led to a coin toss, Sherradden school took home the banner.
Athletic contests included footraces, a spike driving contest, a basketball throw, and a harnessing and hitching up contest. Another interesting contest was the “fat men’s” 50-yard dash. There also was a “stout women’s” race advertised, but if it was held, the results were not recorded.
In 1930, the Ashland Post 1067 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars announced it had leased the old Norris Grove and would open it that summer for dances, picnics, and parties. They made repairs to the old pavilion, built a new open fireplace for weiner and corn roasts, and added benches and tables throughout the grove.
They put on round and square dances every Wednesday and Saturday night through the summer.
The Norris Grove seems to have remained a popular location for reunions and similar events until the time of Milo Norris’s death in 1932.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Norris Grove a staple for Orange residents in 1800 Ashland County